No pain no gain

[llex_paul]

i don't like the granny effect you put on. the paintings would be better if you would give up to that.

[erdbeerfeldheld]

jordyskateboardy: Thanks! Carrots are made of awesome indeed XD Glad you like the last one, I'm going to fix the eyes, thanks for pointing that out! Guess you're right about the coat ... I'll try to keep my urge to use texture in check.

llex_paul: Thanks for the input! I'll try to use textured brushed less.

Life study of a potato and an egg (messed up the shape of the egg =C), a Rembrandt study and another (unfinished) life study.

[erdbeerfeldheld]

Unfinished sp ... So hard to get the skin colour(s) right >.<

[erdbeerfeldheld]

Update on the sp ... Gotta ged rid of that stupid airbrushy softness in the face >=(

[erdbeerfeldheld]

Finally gettin' somewhere with them enviros: a Courbet study.

[monstertree]

The study of the potato is really awesome, the tonal values you used are really pleasing The self portrait seems to be coming along nicely too, although I find it a little muddy at the moment - not sure why, maybe it's the scatter/scratchy brush strokes? Cool stuff, keep at it!

[Inishmore]

Ich finde dein Sketchbook unglaublich toll. Deine Sketche sind unglaublich dynamisch und stark, und sehr lebendig. Und ich bewundere Art, wie sicher und mutig du deinen Stift bzw. Pinsel setzt. Ganz toll, ehrlich.

[erdbeerfeldheld]

monstertree: Thanks^^ Yeah I hear ya on the muddiness. I'll try to do something about that.

Inishmore: Haha danke! Schön, dass es so wirkt, obwohl ich eigentlich unsicher mit der Technik bin und für alles ewig brauche XD

Lazed off again D= Only a little life drawing and some skin colour studies done on the bus ...

[erdbeerfeldheld]

My figure drawing course has started again! Man, I have the feeling I'm improving too slowly =( More work less play?

[Inishmore]

I definitely like your shading and the way you sketched the muscles. The right arm looks a bit off though--can't decide if it looks too thin or too stiff or too short, or maybe it's a combination thereof. But I do like the rest. This looks almost like an illustration from an old book

[Cyprinus]

Die letzte Studie gefällt mir sehr gut, vor allem die Schattierungen.

Wahrscheinlich ist das nur ein Gefühl, dass du dich nur langsam verbesserst...ich glaube, man selber merkt dass meist eher weniger...auf jeden Fall immer weiter so! *anfeuer*

[erdbeerfeldheld]

Inishmore: Thanks! You're right about the arm - I drew it partly from memory because I had to leave early.

Cyprinus: Danke! Ich hoffe mal, dass es so ist >.< Aber vielleicht bin ich auch einfach nur zu ungeduldig. Andererseits will ich nicht erst gut sein wenn ich alt bin =/

A Boldini study! I really like the swooshiness of his paintings =)

Yesterday a pipe burst in my dorm and there is NO WATER at all in the entire building. Nevermind cooking, but you can't even use the toilet. And they're still taking their sweet time with fixing it ... I seriously need to look for a better place >=//////

[erdbeerfeldheld]

Some Bridgman and a friend's rpg character =) That one is from mind and looks so much better in person. Pencil is so much easier than CG =/ I'm happy with my development in the pencil department but not so much with my cging.

[erdbeerfeldheld]

More Bridgman, a Kingdom of Heaven movie still and another Boldini, both unfin.

[Inishmore]

I really like the Kingdom of Heaven one, the colours are really strong and it almost looks like a photo snapshot.

[erdbeerfeldheld]

Inishmore: Thanks, I think my colours are getting better =)

Did some more work on the Boldini and started a Bierstadt.

[p sage]

'sup, Erd?

Stuff is looking good. Bridgmans are rockin, of course.

The guy's moustache looks a little weird (like it's matted or something)

[erdbeerfeldheld]

Uhm ... I guess I'm back? Took a break and vented the frustration that had been building up. It's quite hard to keep practicing while telling yourself that there it has no sens because you're not talented enough and will never be as good as you want to be. But I'm ok now and more determined than ever.

p sage: Thanks! The 'stache looked like this in the original too. Boldini tends to stylize ...

Loomis and another Boldini. I don't really know how to make digital lineart look good. It always turns out very stiff =/

[erdbeerfeldheld]

Moar Bridgman and I sketched in a café while chatting with friends ...

[p sage]

Your linework is extremely neat.

The sketch is very tidy, too, but make sure and put background items in lower contrast and more neutral values. This will make them recede.

Good (if small) update

Where's the freckle-lady painting?

[erdbeerfeldheld]

Update time ... Sorry for the bad scans, my scanner isn't being cooperative.

p sage: Thanks! I will try the lower contrast thing next time. Freckle lady is in WIP hell ... meaning that she'll probably never be finished as I have moved on to other paintings ... I have a few sketches of her though. Maybe I'll post them later.

[p sage]

The portrait of the woman has some issues with the features... the eyes and nose aren't relating... and the nose isn't relating to the mouth.

What this means is that it looks as if they were drawn separately.

If you read those books that show you how to draw heads, you'll notice as we all do the lines that they show the corners of the mouth lining up with the center of the pupil... the nose lining up with the tear ducts, etc.

Those lines do more than just show where things are placed. Those lines are active... not just passive locators. Use them to tie your drawing together. In other words, draw them in lightly... but accurately... and see where the lines intersect other forms in the body. This will show you how the facial features not only relate to each other... but to the head as a whole.. and to the rest of the body.

This is one of the major things I'm learning at Barnstone.

Good luck and have more fun!

[erdbeerfeldheld]

A life drawing and the master study everyone and their dog has painted ... 'Morning walk' by Sargent. Probably the dog pulled it off better than me though =/ Hah, just kidding ... I'm actually happy how it's coming along so far.

p sage: Thanks! Really appreciate the support! Now that you've mentioned it, I see it too. I'll pay better attention next time!

[p sage]

Lovely colors in the second piece especially.

[miycko]

great work on those studies and that sp looks like it's coming along well great improvement on your skeches too

[erdbeerfeldheld]

Worked a bit more on the Sargent study.

[p sage]

Keep goin'. You're doing well. Just remember that details like the touches on the water come after you've established all the major value relationships.

[erdbeerfeldheld]

p sage: Will do =) Yeah, I'm very impatient ... that's one of my biggest faults >.< I'll try to correct it.

And a bit of sketchbookeria!

[emilylorange]

Good work, and excellent studies, keep it up! I think you have a very firm grasp of value.

My suggestion is to take what you're learning about color in the master studies and apply it to the still lives. In the master studies you aren't afraid to use colors other than black to shade - but in the things you do independent of those studies you continue to rely on it. It flattens the work and muddies your vibrant hues.

[erdbeerfeldheld]

emilylorange: Hey, thanks for commenting! I don't use black to shade though? I used the wrong brushes is all ... That's what made the paintings muddy. I think it's getting better now.

Sargent is finish! It turned out kinda different from the original. But that's ok, I feel like this is a step up. Yay!